Effects of Vibration on Vertical and Joint Stiffness in Ankle Instability and Healthy Subjects

Effects of Vibration on Vertical and Joint Stiffness in Ankle Instability and Healthy Subjects Mark J. Coglianese Department of Exercise Sciences, BYU Doctor of Philosophy Some have suggested acute increases in musculotendinous stiffness (k) following whole body vibration (WBV). Others propose that chronic ankle instability (CAI) may alter k of the lower extremity. Changes in proprioceptive activity and/or gamma motoneuron activation post-WBV and/or due to CAI could lead to alterations in k. However, little is known about acute effects of WBV on k and less is known about changes in k with CAI. PURPOSE: Assess differences in vertical and joint k between healthy and CAI subjects during single-limb landings and detect alterations in k measures post-vibration. METHODS: Subjects were identified as CAI via the FAAM, MAII and special testing. Thirty-five CAI subjects (17 males, 18 females; age = 22 ± 7 yr; height = 1.73 ± 0.23 m; mass = 70 ± 30 kg) and 35 matched healthy subjects (17 males, 18 females; age = 23 ± 5 yr; height = 1.73 ± 0.21 m; mass = 70 ± 35 kg) qualified for this study. Kinetic (2000 Hz) and kinematic (250 Hz) data were recorded during several jump landings preand post-WBV. Five repetitions of WBV, at 26 Hz and 4 mm amplitude, were introduced between preand post-WBV jump trials. The jump task included a double-limb jump followed by a single-limb landing and a subsequent contralateral hop. Vertical k (∆vertical GRF/center of mass vertical displacement), hip, knee and ankle joint k (∆joint moment/∆joint angle) were calculated, averaged across five successful pre-WBV and across six post-WBV trials. An ANOVA was used to detect between-group differences, while an ANCOVA was used to analyze within-group differences post-WBV using pre-measures as covariates. A pseudo-Bonferroni adjustment was performed prior to statistical analysis (p 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: It appears that WBV does acutely increase vertical k in healthy subjects. However, this treatment effect was not observed in CAI. Further research is needed to assess how k is regulated in CAI subjects and why CAI subjects responded differently to WBV.